Samsung says it will review 250 suppliers for labor violations

Samsung has said it will investigate 250 Chinese manufacturing partners after a third-party audit found the use of child labor.

The U.S.-based operation China Labor Watch found seven children younger than 16 wroking in a factory that makes DVD players for Samsung. The company responded on Monday and said it will inspect 250 Chinese companies that make its products, but its own investigation found no under-aged workers at the HEG Electronics facility in question, according to Reuters.

In a statement, Samsung said it has "demanded that HEG immediately improve its working conditions." If the partner fails to meet Samsung's "zero-tolerance policy on child labor, the contract will be immediately severed."

Attention has not traditionally been paid to Samsung's overseas manufacturing partners. However, Apple, which is now the largest company in the world by market capitalization, has routinely come under fire for its reliance on overseas assembly, particularly at manufacturer Foxconn.

For years, Apple has conducted its own supplier audits and put out an annual report detailing their findings. But earlier this year, facing growing criticism, Apple also allowed a third-party organization, the Fair Labor Association, to conduct its own audits. Apple is the first technology company to partner with the FLA.

But earlier this year, facing growing criticism, Apple also allowed a third-party organization, the Fair Labor Association, to conduct its own audits. Apple is the first technology company to partner with the FLA.

I'm not sure that's quite how it happened:

Apple announced the FLA partnership in January along with their annual supplier responsibility report. It seems more likely to be a planned part of this report and of the next year's phase of improvements, than to be in response to "growing criticism." In fact, as I recall, although Mike Daisey had been on the fictional warpath for some time, and got his lies on This American Life shortly before the annual report, I don't recall any big wave of Apple criticism at the end of last year or the first days of January this year. It seems like that had died down by then, and then resurged AFTER Apple partnered with the FLA. (Apple's own positive actions actually helping to get the matter back on people's radar. With plenty of help from Mike Daisey's interviews!)

And any "growing criticism" should be termed "spreading lies," since nothing new had emerged about Apple's situation. This American Life later returned to the story with an apology, and it turns out that all of the problems found to be true are the ones Apple themselves had already reported on.

I'm pretty certain nobody has dug up a single thing beyond what Apple self-reported, despite their efforts to do so. (Including going to China: Mike Daisey wasn't the only one to look for fresh dirt in person, just the only one to invent it when it couldn't be found.)

So "growing criticism" means "continued honesty from Apple plus lies from Mike Daisey" (both of which were spun Apple being evil) and that's about it.

@Apple][ - With as much as you like Apple, you sure do give users a bad name. Nearly every post is a hate filled rant. Everyone gets upset occasionally, but hate and arrogance seem so common in your posts. You should show more confidence in your ability to have a rational discussion.

@Apple][ - With as much as you like Apple, you sure do give users a bad name. Nearly every post is a hate filled rant. Everyone gets upset occasionally, but hate and arrogance seem so common in your posts. You should show more confidence in your ability to have a rational discussion.

Child labor (and labor abuses generally) would strike anyone with principles as being an unfortunate reality that should be addressed, by whatever means possible. It's unfortunate that rabid Apple psychopaths try to turn it into a conspiracy theory every time those abuses come to light. (Perhaps somewhere, to a lesser degree, Samsung fans are floating the same tired rhetoric that you see all too often on these forums in defense of human rights abuses.)

In this case, instead of saying, "Hey, it seems like this is a fundamental issue across all manner of manufacture that could, and should, be addressed," you get the typical tribalistic babble on these forums. It's absolutely disgraceful.

I'm glad that people who DO possess principles are putting pressure on yet another corporation that would undoubtedly ignore these issues if it didn't pose a threat to their profits.